Health Secretary launches Governments vision on prevention - Alzheimer's Society comment
Sally Copley, Director of Policy, Campaigns and Partnerships
| Alzheimer’s Society
In response to Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s speech later today, where he will launch the Governments approach to prevention Sally Copley, Director of Policy, Campaigns and Partnerships, at Alzheimer’s Society has released the following statement.
Dementia is yet again the elephant in the cabinet room. With no cure for the condition we agree prevention is key – so it is beyond disappointing to see that the Government has missed a golden opportunity to tackle dementia, by investing sufficiently in their long term vision for a sustainable health and social care system.
We know that a 20 per cent reduction in risk factors like poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption and a lack of exercise could reduce the prevalence of dementia in the UK by more than 15% by 2050. So with dementia being the UK’s biggest killer, failing to invest in it - and social care - undermines the Government’s stated commitment to prevention. Starting with the roll out of dementia advice as part of NHS Health Checks, as Alzheimer’s Society has been calling for, understanding and supporting measures to reduce it also needs to be a firm and fully funded priority for the Government in the upcoming long term plan for the NHS.
